Tunneling theory of two interacting atoms in a trap

Abstract

A theory for the tunneling of one atom out of a trap containing two interacting cold atoms is developed. The quasiparticle wave function, dressed by the interaction with the companion atom in the trap, replaces the non-interacting orbital at resonance in the tunneling matrix element. The computed tunneling time for two 6Li atoms agrees with recent experimental results [G. Zuern, F. Serwane, T. Lompe, A. N. Wenz, M. G. Ries, J. E. Bohn, and S. Jochim, arXiv:1111.2727], unveiling the `fermionization' of the wave function and a novel two-body effect.

RevTeX 4.1, 5 pages, 4 pdf figures. In this revised version the effects of trap anharmonicity have been taken into account (cf. Fig. 2) and new references have been added. To appear in Physical Review Letters